SR-2: Santa Monica Blvd / Glendale Freeway / Angeles Crest Highway

Route 2 is one of the more varied routes in the Los Angeles area. It starts its journey in Santa Monica at the junction of Lincoln Boulevard and the Santa Monica Freeway, follows Santa Monica Boulevard (old US 66) east to the Hollywood Freeway (US 101), joins the freeway for a couple of exits, then leaves it at Alvarado St. Route 2 changes to a more northerly course for the next 35 or so miles at this point.

Proceeding along Alvarado Street from US 101, then Glendale Boulevard, it gets onto the stub end of the Glendale Freeway. This freeway was planned to join with US 101 near Vermont Avenue but was never built. The Glendale Freeway is signed north/south, even though State 2 is overall considered an east/west route. At the north end of the Glendale Freeway, where it meets the Foothill Freeway (I-210), State 2 joins the freeway for about 1/2 mile until the Angeles Crest Highway exit. State 2 then follows the Angeles Crest Highway in an easterly direction for the next 66 miles until its end at State Route 138 at Mountain Top Junction.

View of the missing railing on the closed southbound side of the Glendale Blvd UC.View from the southbound inside shoulder.Northbound lanes of the freeway. This section of freeway is used in many movies. One such movie was “Bowfinger” with Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy (the running across a freeway scene).Southbound traffic continues over Glendale Blvd then merges onto it. Northbound traffic takes the NB-2 onramp from Glendale Blvd.Glendale Freeway just north of Mountain Avenue. Photo Courtesy – Ralph RicketsonNorthern end of the Glendale Freeway.End of the long ramps to Foothill Blvd.

Angeles Crest Highway

Angeles Crest Highway, a very scenic route through the Angeles National Forest, was constructed over a period of about 30 years. Construction began in the mid 1920’s on the segment near the Arroyo Seco leaving La Canada. The last segment to be completed, in 1959, is near the area known as Big Pines, where State 2 meets the Big Pines Highway.

La Canada Arch Bridge. Built in 1929 and widened in 1966.Slide Canyon Bridge – Built 1929New railing installed at the Slide Canyon bridge (53-63) replacing the 1929 railing.Clear Creek JunctionToward Red Box Gap from Clear Creek JunctionLooking east toward Red Box GapAngeles Crest Highway east of Red Box Gap. View is towards Shortcut Saddle.At Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road.Near Chilao FlatCloudburst Summit – This is a new sign in black/white. It replaced a green/white sign.Chain Control sign from 1958. Sign has been since covered but is still there, just west of Cloudburst Summit.West portal of Tunnel #1 (53-184). Construction began in 1941 and was completed in 1950.Looking west toward Tunnel #2 (53-978)Inside the west tunnelSecond tunnel.Coming out of the last tunnelIslip Saddle – Junction with Hwy 39Older sign, since replaced, at the junction with State 39. Sign may have pointed to Azusa and San Gabriel Canyon.Looking toward Islip Saddle from below Dawson Saddle.At Dawson Saddle (7901′), the highest point on Angeles Crest HighwayAt Vincent Gulch Divide (6565′)Looking toward Mt Baden Powell (9399′) from Blue Ridge Saddle (7381′)Old elevation sign, just east of Blue Ridge Saddle.Signage at the junction with Big Pines Highway (County N4) and a rare Alternate sign.

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A few months ago, I decided to purchase a new domain in the anticipation of moving to northern California. Whether or not that move takes place, I still own that domain. As such, this site may be expanding in scope to cover a few more counties. The new site, NorCalRegion.Com, is still a work in progess, but will cover highways and geology in the northern half of the state. Where that line will be drawn is still being worked out. Look for updates in the coming months for these changes and expansions.

There is a group in Bakersfield trying to get historic route signs posted on the original alignment of US 99 through the Bakersfield area. They could use your support. Check out the site below for more information.

Los Angeles County Department of Public Works has a wealth of information available on their website. With a bit of patience and some looking around, you can find quite a few treasures using their mapping application. I’ve so far found the original survey data for the “Bridge To Nowhere” roadway, plans for other roadways that were never built in the Sierra Pelona Mountains, as well as the forest service permit for the Shoemaker Canyon Road that was never completed.